Following the 2013 launch of the Belt and Road Initiative, China’s influence in mainland Eurasia has expanded. Cooperation with the countries of Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus in the fields of infrastructure financing, internal security and defence has increased significantly.
Although the countries of the South Caucasus are not considered as priority partners for China at the international level, they nevertheless play an important role in Beijing’s long-term projects in Eurasia. China is mobilising to counterbalance American influence in the whole of Eurasia. Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia see China as an alternative to Russia and the West.
Although not yet a critical player in the region, Beijing is developing its relations with the countries of the region without interfering in their internal affairs. This reflects the fact that all three countries are tired of the North Atlantic Alliance and Russia’s historical rivalries in the region. China’s consistent defence of territorial integrity issues influences the deepening of relations.
In this context, relations with Georgia are particularly noteworthy. While officially the country still wants to be part of the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), it is also developing relations with other actors, including Russia and China.
In June 2023, Tbilisi upgraded its relations with Beijing to the level of strategic partnership. This was a step aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation in trade, infrastructure, political engagement and education. Georgia pledged to expand cooperation with China on regional and international issues and support the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Security Initiative.[1]
Then Georgia decided to revive the Anaklia Deep Sea Port Project, the construction project of the century. At the end of May 2024, a Chinese consortium “China Communication Construction LTD” won the tender launched in search of investors for the construction of the project. Thus, the Georgian state will own 51% of the shares, while Chinese investors will hold 49% of the shares. If the construction of the port is completed, Georgia will be able to receive ocean-going container ships, which will enable China to participate in new logistics initiatives.
It seems that China’s expansion into the South Caucasus is taking place gradually. These steps are provoking a reaction from the United States of America (US) and increasing Western pressure on the Tbilisi leadership. These pressures make it difficult for Georgia to take objective decisions and cause debates in domestic politics. Especially the Anaklia Deep Sea Port Project is considered as a geopolitical failure and a giant step away from the West.
Georgian Deputy Prime Minister Levan Davitashvili stated on 17 June 2024 that he is confident that the Poti Port Project and Anaklia Port will be implemented in order to increase the country’s potential and protect state interests. Davitashvili emphasised that it is necessary to develop port infrastructure in Georgia, but this should be done in the interests of the state.
It seems that Georgia is trying to move out of the axis of Russia and the West while acting in the interests of the country. The fact that Russia still considers Georgia as its “backyard” and the West does not provide objective support on sensitive issues such as territorial integrity has led Georgia to take careful and decisive steps for its future.
The experience of various tensions and tragedies on the Western and Russian axis since the 1990s requires the country today to chart a new or alternative path, taking into account global processes and the world economic situation. In a world order where wars are fought for the control of trade corridors and energy lines, Georgia is striving to gain strategic functionality. In such a configuration, Tbilisi can maintain its neutral position and prevent the country from being used as a polygon by the great powers again.
As for China’s relations with the EU, they differ significantly from Russia-Europe relations. Europe is of great importance for China both as a trading partner and as a source of technology. At the same time, China remains an important market for European companies due to its economic resilience and its large domestic market, which is vital for them to remain globally competitive.
On the other hand, China is striving to develop east-west roads and railways and to connect Central Asia to the EU by land, bypassing Russia. Thus, Beijing is diversifying and modernising its traditional connecting routes.
In conclusion, the geopolitical benefits of relations with the South Caucasus countries seem to be more important for Beijing than the economic ones. On the one hand, the growing demand for diversification of foreign policy in the Caucasus, on the other hand, China’s non-interference in the region’s internal problems makes it an attractive partner for the countries of the region.
[1] “Поворот на запад: Китай в Черном море”, Anhor, https://anhor.uz/vzglyad-iznutri/black-sea/, (Erişim Tarihi: 28.06.2024).
